Harriet Tyce (born November 1972) is a Scottish barrister and novelist, the author of Blood Orange (2019), The Lies you Told (2020) and It ends at midnight (2022).

Harriet Tyce
Harriet Tyce (2022)
Harriet Tyce (2022)
BornNovember 1972 (age 51)
LanguageEnglish
EducationEdinburgh Academy
Alma materOxford University
University of East Anglia
GenrePsychological thriller
Notable worksBlood Orange (2019)
Children2
Website
Official website

Tyce was at first educated in Edinburgh, before gaining admission to Oxford University to study English literature, and then completing a law conversion course at City University. For nearly ten years she practised as a criminal barrister before changing her career path to creative writing and crime fiction. Her first novel became a Richard and Judy choice and according to Amazon, it became popular during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020.

Early life and education

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Harriet Tyce was born in November 1972 and grew up in Edinburgh, the eldest of two children of Lord Nimmo Smith, retired judge, and Jennifer, an academic and classicist.[1][2] In Edinburgh, she at first attended an all girls school where she became friends with Sarah Hughes.[3] Subsequently she joined the Edinburgh Academy for sixth form, which was mixed.[2]

Tyce gained admission to Oxford University, where she studied English literature, and then completed a law conversion course at City University.[4][5]

Career

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For around ten years Tyce practised as a criminal barrister.[4] In 2005, after attempting to work part-time and not long after her son was born, she left the Bar.[2] Later she completed a master's in creative writing and crime fiction at the University of East Anglia, passing with distinction.[4]

After several rejections she acquired an agent and a book deal with Wildfire, an imprint of Headline.[2] They published Blood Orange (2019), her first novel.[4][6] It became a Richard and Judy choice.[5] According to Amazon, the book became popular during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020.[6] Quibi and World Productions, the producers of Line of Duty and Bodyguard, chose Blood Orange for development into a TV series.[2]

After abandoning a second novel, she released The Lies you Told in 2020.[7] Her book It ends at midnight was released in 2022.[8] She wrote the introductory chapter to Holding Tight, Letting Go (2022).[9]

Personal and family

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Tyce lives with her husband, who works in finance.[2] They have two children.[2]

Bibliography

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  • Blood Orange. Wildfire. 2019. ISBN 978-1-4722-5274-6.
  • The Lies You Told. Wildfire. 2020. ISBN 978-1-4722-5279-1.
  • It Ends At Midnight. Wildfire. 2022. ISBN 978-1-4722-8009-1.
  • A Lesson in Cruelty. Wildfire. 2024. ISBN 978-1-4722-8014-5.

References

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  1. ^ Tyce, Harriet (2019). Blood Orange. Wildfire. ISBN 978-1-4722-5277-7.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Swarbrick, Susan. "Blood Orange author Harriet Tyce on her Edinburgh roots and why she swapped law for books". Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Journalist Sarah Hughes, whose wit and passion inspired everything she wrote". London News Time. 10 April 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d "Meet the Author: Harriet Tyce | Suffolk Libraries". www.suffolklibraries.co.uk. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Creative Writing with Harriet Tyce | The Novelry". www.thenovelry.com. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  6. ^ a b O’Connell, John. "Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce review – smart #MeToo noir". the Guardian. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  7. ^ Mesure, Susie (23 October 2020). "Harriet Tyce on The Lies You Told: 'For years I've either had to be someone's mum or wife'". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  8. ^ Forshaw, Barry (18 April 2022). "The best new crime books — a peril-packed round-up". Financial Times. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  9. ^ Anderson, Hephzibhah (27 March 2022). "Holding Tight, Letting Go by Sarah Hughes review – lessons from a life well lived". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 June 2022.